A powerful 6.5 magnitude earthquake has rocked Mexico, as the tremors interrupted President Claudia Sheinbaum’s first press briefing of the year.
The tremor shook the nation on Friday morning, with its epicentre believed to be around 15km southwest of San Marcos in the state of Guerrero, which is near to hotspot Acapulco, according to the country’s national seismological service.
The event triggered a seismic alert in Mexico City, forcing hundreds of residents to evacuate buildings.
As the powerful quake reached the capital, footage on social media showed how residents frantically rushed out onto the streets as they feared for their lives, while other clips captured how tremors struck peoples’ homes and businesses.
Images also showed locals waiting outside their apartment buildings and offices after they were told to evacuate out onto the streets.
President Sheinbaum’s morning briefing was interrupted as a result of the earthquake, with a video circulating on X showing how the Mexican leader and those attending the meeting were forced to leave the building as seismic alarms sounded.
Ten minutes after the alert sounded, Sheinbaum resumed the press conference.
‘It appears there is no serious damage, but we will wait for the report from Guerrero’, she told members of the press.
The Mexican leader added that she had made initial contact with the governor of Guerrero, Evelyn Salgado, who told her all protocols had already been activated, and that the extent of the earthquake was being reviewed.
In Acacapulco, tourists were also seen rushing into the streets when the shaking begn.
So far, no serious damage or casualties have been reported, but there are reports of power outages in some areas north of Mexico City.
Mexico’s National Electricity Commission is reviewing potential damage to electrical installations.
The earthquake in Mexico comes just two days after the US Geological Survey issued a ShakeAlert for California and Nevada after a 5.0 magnitude tremor struck.
Residents reported feeling shaking across California, western Nevada , and southern Oregon, with many sharing their experiences on social media.
One person wrote on X: ‘A 5.3-magnitude quake is a serious wake-up call for infrastructure resilience in NorCal.
‘While the ShakeAlert system is a lifesaver, we need to focus on long-term seismic safety and emergency preparedness.’
Several Californians and Nevadans said the quake shook their homes.
The USGS detected at least six aftershocks, ranging from a 2.1 to 2.5 magnitude, since the larger one hit.
No damage or injuries were reported, according to the Susanville Police Department.
This is a breaking news story, more to follow.
